Deep fat cooker



March 25, 194-1. 2,236,048

DEEP FAT COOKER ed Dec. 53, 1959 March 25, 1941.

G. w. WATTS DEEP FAT COOKER Filed Dec. 30, 19559 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jim 51v 70A? 50265 M M775, r I

Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to means for deep fat frying and particularly to a unitary kettle of unique design which may be used in conjunction with any standard type of heater or burner readily obtained upon the market without having to install any special plumbing or the like.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a kettle base of such formation that the heat of the burner will be most eificiently employed and at the same time a plurality of receptacles will be provided below the intensely heated zone of the fat into which receptacles the crumbs leaving the materials being fried may be directed and may accumulate without convection currents in or other disturbances of the fat otherwise causing the crumbs to return to the cooking zone.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a top plan view;

Fig. 3, a central, vertical section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4, a central, vertical section 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

I form a vessel Ill generally cylindrical in shape out of any suitable material, preferably aluminum which not only is a good conductor of heat but also may be readily polished to give a smooth and pleasing appearance. The vessel Ill is provided with a domed shaped floor ll spaced considerably, that is, more than a fourth of the depth of the vessel above the floor of the vessel which is interrupted circumferentially therearound adjacent the vertical wall of the vessel ID by a plurality of pockets or wells l2, herein shown as eight in number, although the exact number is not critical. These pockets l2 are within legs l3, the outer walls of which are downward extensions of the circumferentiai wall of the vessel Ill. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the depth of these pockets I2 is considerable in proportion ot the depth of the vessel ill above the floor ll due to the elevation of the floor as best indicated in Fig. 4.

Between adjacent pockets I! are ridge-like extensions M from the floor H to the circumferentlal vertical wall of the vessel In, these exon the line tensions l4 being arched circumferentially so as to slope downwardly from an upper central portion toward the pockets appearing on each side thereof. It is to be noted also, Fig. 2, that these extensions l4 rise from the outer circumferential part of the floor II and continue substantially horizontally on across to the wall of the vessel I0, Fig. 3.

The outer wall of the vessel lil not only extends circumferentially around to form the outer closure wall of each of the legs l3 but also extends therebeyond between adjacent legs to leave an inverted V-like opening l5 in each instance, as best shown in Fig. 1. These openings l5 serve as air admission openings or ports to support combustion where gas or the like is employed as a fuel under the floor I I.

In the present showing, a gas burner I6 is indicated as being centrally positioned under the floor ll within the surrounding legs l3. A tube or pipe I! may be passed through any one of the openings IE to convey the gas to the burner. Of course, it is obvious that a plurality of burners or even a different type of burner may be employed since the construction of the burner itself does not involve invention in the present instance.

As a factor of safety, a drip ring I8 is formed to slide over the vessel l0 and be secured with a close fit thereagainst above the tops of the openings l5 so that should any of the fat flow over and down the outside of the wall of the vessel 10, it will be directed outwardly to drop from the outwardly flaring flange of this ring l8 to fall in spaced relation from the lower part of the wall of the vessel 10 and not flow directly to or around the upper ends of the openings l5. In other words the outwardly flaring part of the ring l8 directs such overflowing fat sufficiently far from these openings as to prevent ignition from heat escaping through those openings.

In the form herein shown the ring I8 is attached to the vessel III by means of a plurality of screws l9 passing through the inner downturned leg of the ring and screw-threadedly engaging in the wall of the vessel l0. From the top of this downturned leg, the ring flares outwardly and downwardly as best indicated in Fig. 4.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one best form as now known to me, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and. I, therefore, do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claim.

I claim:

In a deep fat cooker, a vessel, a centrally convexly curved floor in the vessel, a plurality of hollow legs extending below said floor, circumferentially therearound to have the vessel wall continue downwardly to form the outer wall of each leg, said legs having top openings therein 10 through said floor adjacent the vessel wall, said floor sloping outwardly and downwardly to said opennigs, and said vessel wall having openings therethrough between said legs and under said floor, said legs defining in efiect a heating chamher, the top of which is said floor, and arched extensions of said floor between said wall and said leg openings, said side wall openings being below said extensions respectively. 

